Silent-chain joint.



W. A. ROCKENFIELD.

SILBH CHAIN JGiNT.

APPucAneN FILED MAY 11. 1915 1 ,273,001 Patented July 16, 1918.

WITNESSES: WVE/VTUI'? Umum Q. RocKenEield.

W W 7%W ,4 TTORNE Y WJLLEAM A. ROCKENFLELD, 0F IQQBIAQ'APOLIS, INDIANA.

SILENT-CHAIK saniw.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application flied May 1?, 1915. Serial No. 28,716.

andfiiaixe (if indium, im \e invented a car;

tail; new and usvful Siicni(imin Jeint; and I do hog-ch dmrlum thai the fnilowmg ls a H :53 "F3 and (ma-t elvsc-rlphon thureuf, refings, in which like iijiiel'rs refer it) like P2213. Thu uhjiwt of {his inxeniion is t6 pi zit hy guthvr, in mam! fusiiiun, transverse tooth en gaging HWHALXR: pii'uuill v cuimeetin iine it pain; of mel'iuppmg Sidc iii E'iHUCiiii chain. Siififi heratQi'm'v but zluulc with fippflsiifi pair Bf (wcl'laplaing side links and a il'ilHSYBl'SG with euga 'ing ammbir secured ti each em (if email piui- 0i i I the tfiuih engaging lflitlii il camwuiing iih. uuivr Iiiiiig {*XifiiiiL jug thnmg-h the awnings ur bearings in the inner iiliiaa :50 imL {he inner iinks will. be iwmi on said imigvr tmnfiverse @9081 enguging memiwrs, wiih th transverse math sngaging members. uflnlwtted with the everinpping cutie, of ihe two pairs of Kinks hing mijnuent Em}; mini-y 51) that he perform like fiuiilv finuF-iiun Of pis'uiaiiy ega'iranisitting flu vimin link: tugciimr Enid 1 0 forming Kim PM}: u? tin vhnin. In smh i'ijiisiiriactiun as iki'ii'iiiftii'f :m-d, tiw il'liiki'tQIE-fi i uiii viigugzing iimuiims iiii iwhpnndain (if (21611 yt'lwr vxwpiing in w, filer as the artlivid mgvl'lu-v by Lin; iiuk' This (amass moire 01 501+ inmiupmulvhi :ivil nd pin), whereby Hwy sin 1m! magi-x: tvvfii to engage and mi pvmw pin aa'iih (b0 im-l'h of spmhlwt 11. 621. 91* racks.

"HIP chief firm uru. u! U11- imvnijnn consists 1 z pair a? transverse B l-iii 152i- 7 illitlfl iujfkiilt'l lmigirmiinzslly in 5mm? suitable iziehinn. m ihai they caumut haw an i selvpvmiem wriivu! play and, iii i-lififuiin iwir Ciizi'as \Yilii'il engage 33% Tim fiiii ilziiili'l of the inventimi \Yiil bifing ha l in the :wcmnpanyisig rgw;

assaaiaisa i parts of a. sprocket, WheL'Pmfts icing iiifiiiiil away. Fig. {3 is a. seciicm o'n the iipg 2 13 sf Fig. 1 .Ifig. 3 is a peifipetive firm 0f tha tooth engaging member 91ft easiligtgrg m mher. Fig. & is a sirie elevaiifin of 21 pziztifin 0f the chain. Figs. 5 aniiii'i are side elenitiuns of the links. Fig. isg gruss se iiim thrnugh the tooth saga ing iiig'xfiiers' i111 large? scale. Figs- 8 a1? 'sifmiiar s ctizms 9f modified furms if the. tabth' enga ing members.

here is Shawn in Fig. l of the drawings, A a. spreckgt Wheel 1%) 11pm; vihich a silent fiilfiih operates. Tim s min eansists of faltemating inside 212 J ie pairs of oveb H) lapping links 11 umi reapcctively, and a. transverse tooth engaging member 13 SE: cured to each end of each pair of outside links 12 and a transverse toot-h engaging member 20 seeurmi In each end of ezich pair N5 of inside links 11', and said. inside links are pivotc gt each end an said tooth engfl gi member 153, saas is ascillutui'y t 7 iii} to a sufiiciefii Q-Ki-QEL a give the chai sired flexibility. v 86 In C(Hllbiliiilg tiie, parts above mentiolied, the tom-h engaging mambar 13 has ends 14 9f the. 3383i: ffiifl! and crossiatinff as the apenings 16 in aha autsidclinkslgs as is) b6 secures; therein, and said d1lfii ends of {Em 596th migagiug membei's 13 ex tent ihruugh file large portiols of flags en.- ings 5 iii iii a iiiiiizs 1 which poitinns e {be upenings 15 are larger than the cross seciimi 3f Em tuokh migaging ltiQlnbfii'g 13 st) as to HBO the tuoih engaging membea s {4) mck ur usciihmz against each mini-r. am said. racking; mm'ement limilmi by the shoulder l? engagingthe zuljm'vlli face if the reduced 22% 1% nf the tooth vngaging 1219:2156? 13 :18 Shawn in Fig. 3. 7

Since i119 teeth vngagin member 29 se- 7 gated in the snmil pul'iiuu f the opening 15 a? {he inne iink 11. mg i. .53 iagnging their adjacent surface are farmed so 331. they can rork Y6] i ach other gvmzi an :lXis {#XtF-lizim im iiiidifiafiy of i mother: agingmeiii iziefiaifi a'ption of 1, er in 7. T is adapts 3 319;

chain to cooperate with a sprocket wheel when the chain is curved, as shown in the left-hand portion of Fig. 1. The inner surfaces of the said two tooth engaging memhere rock away from each other substantially as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 8, and therefore the s ace 23 between the sprocket teeth 24 must e relatively wide to receive such form of chain tooth engaging member, as shown in Fig. 1.

Tllls relative oscillatory movement of the todth engaging members is about a central bearing between them arranged in the form shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. In the first seven figures each tooth engaging member 13 and has on its beveled inner surface about midway thereof a longitudinal semi-circular recess so as to furnish a seat for a pivot pin 26 which 1i s in said recesses 25 of ad- 20 acent tooth engaging members 13 and 20.

he pivot pin 26 extends entirely through the chain and has washers 27 on its outer ends, and its extreme ends have rivet heads 28, as shown in Fig. 2. Therefore, as the 25 members 13 and 20 rock with relation to each other, they have the bearin or ivot pin 26 upon which to oscillate. his olds said two members in exactly the desired relation with each other in spite of strain,

0 and prevents any yielding or displacement of said tooth engagin members under stress. It prevents in ependent vertical movement of said tooth enga ing members and, therefore, the inner ears are always flush with each other and fit snugly on a sprocket wheel.

A modified form of the means for pivoting together said tooth engaging members is shown in Fig. 8, wherein only the tooth 4o engaging member 20 has the groove 25, while there is extending integral with the other tooth member 13 a bead-like member 30 which takes the place of the pivot pin 26 and extends entirely through the chain and has on it the washers 27 and the ends are enlarged to form the heads 28.

Still another modified form is shown in Fig. 9 wherein said pivot members 13 and 20 have their adjacent oppositely curved surfaces provided with interengaging teeth 31 so that said members will rock upon each other and still be held from any independent vertical movement or displacement.

The invention is a chain for use on sprocket wheels, rings and the like, so formed that the cross or pivotal mcinbers constitute the teeth or tooth engaging members of the chain, as said chain, teeth or tooth engaging members engage the teeth of the sprocket wheel and transmit power thereto or therefrom. The invention does not relate to chains wherein the teeth of the chain are formed on or integral with the side links thereof. In this latter form of chain, the transverse pivotal members do not serve as teeth and do not engage the teeth of the sprocket wheel. By the pivotal members in the improved chain herein set forth being transversely elongateddownward. they serve as chain teeth or tooth engaging members for engaging the teeth of the sprocket wheel directly and they are mounted so that they will rock upon their transverse pivots as herein set forth. Therefore, the said links are not teeth or tooth en- 1 gaging members, but serve only to connect and mount the ends of the transverse pivotal tooth engaging members.

The side links and transverse tooth engaging members form two sets of frames 3. which constitute the chain. each frame consisting of a pair of opposite side links and a transverse tooth engaging member secured to each end of each pair of said side links, one set of said frames bein narrower than $5 the other and the narrow rames alternating with the wide frames and pivoted each on a transverse tooth engaging member of the adjacent wide frame. In other words, said wide frames are pivoted to each other by the narrow frames being ivoted on the tooth members of the wider rames. These teeth project inward so as to come in direct working contact with the teeth of the sprocket wheel and rock as the chain bends 05 so that such tooth engaging members can adjust themselves to the surfaces of the sprocket teeth with which they engage as they come into working contact therewith.

By tooth engaging members is meant a member of the chain which engages the tooth of the sprocket wheel and receives power therefrom or transmits power thereto.

The invention claimed is:

1. A chain formed of opposite overlapping pairs of side links, a transverse tooth engaging member secured to each end of each pair of opposite links and extended inward to form teeth for engaging the teeth of a sprocket wheel, the inner side. links being pivoted on the tooth engaging members connecting the adjacent pairs of outer side links and the tooth engaging members connecting the adjacent airs of links having adjacent convex sur aces with grooves therein extending transversely'of the chain and registering with each other, and a pivot pin lylng in the grooves in each adjacent pair of tooth engaging members.

2. A chain formed of opposite overlapping pairs of side links, a transverse tooth engaging member secured to each end of each pair of opposite links and extended inward to form teeth adapted to engage theteeth of a sprocket wheel, the inner side links being pivoted on the tooth engaging members connecting the adjacent pairs of outer side links, and the tooth engaging members connecting the adjacent pairs of links having adjacent convex surfaces and n; link lis s P i 1,273,0c1 a each other, and a p1vot pin lying in said grcrsscs htwaen each aihaccnt pmrsof said tooth sngnging members and c2;- tcnding at-its snfig through both pairs of s; fiih'siantinlly as set forth.

chain vomprising :1 plurality of links srhinh comprises two longilmlina 1i) incinEe-rs'snsl tire cross bars, mljncnntlinlss ass ggiing so that a. cross bar of tilt r nilcsnirfo links is locnrctllictwccn "its icross bnrs bf an liltfill linli, cash cross liiifiiisinggprovidcd with n' plnnc sur ig g n tooth of n sprorket nfisl itpirot banning member locntcil between each psirof cooperating crosshsrs of ad cent links. 7 7

silent diam-comprising a plurality of overlapping links, said links comprising longitudinal members and cross bars at both ends of each longitudinal member and extending out of the planes of ihe longitudi- 'nsl members, the cross bars ntthc ends of 25 cnclhlink being nearer such omls than arc the cross bars at the adjacent. curls of 'ihe twoacljacent links, and the two sross bars at the joint of articulation between two mljncent links having concave surfaces on their an adjacent faces, and a pivot pin at each joint of articulation cooperating with said concave surfaces, the cross bars being provided with plane surfaces on the sides remote from the centers of the links of which they form as Bart, and the plane surfaces on the two cross ars of each link being at a fixed angle to each other.

5. A chsimcomiisin a plurality of overlapping links, said 1111 s comprising longi- 4o tuclinal members and cross bars at both cncls of each longitudinal member and extending out of tho planes oi the longitudinal menibcrs, the cross bars at the ends of each link being nearer such ends than are the cross IJELIS at the adjacent ends of the two adjacent links, and the two cross bars at the ioint of articulation between two adjacent inks having concave surfaces on their adjacent faces, and having exposed plans snrfaces can-their remote faces for direct cooperation with a sprocket, and n'pivot in at each joint of articulation cooperating with said concave surfaces, W 7

6. A silent chain comprising 9. plurality '55 of links nrticulntcll together, each joint of articulation comprising a pivot pin and a pair of cross bars having concave surfaces sliclgbly fitting on said p n on pm, and each cross bar at a pint of articulation forming 1 import of the link which enteritis from such 1oint in the opposite direction from said cross bar, said linksnlso having longitudinal msmhsss which rigilily connect the, two cross bass st each link saigltwo cross hars'of sach with plans surfaces 10- 7 f ll scnlggl at a lins angle. to mull ollwr on. tin siilssrcmols from tho comm-s of the lmli; n! which ihs v form pilll,

T. A chain comprising; zi'plnrsiilg of links ni'ticninlc l i fillcr cnth inial ill ari' 7 0 21 pivot pin ninl :l

l ii any; conlrnvc r ili'f lilting iin S lliil pivot" plan and 0x1) on the siilcs Fellini? fiifi'fil fin lsnch cross lllil' ill a in 11 o nailing part of the I such ioint in illfi in; n on; said cross bar, snitl iii; a i x ing longiinilinsl rncmlicrs whirl; rigidly coir 'nccttho t'wo cross bars of cash link. so

8. A silent chain, comprising alternate Wide and narrow links sash linlc comprising two spaced longitudinal msmhcrs at the sides ancl two cross lrzirs connecting: and rigid with such loiigit mlinal members, the g5 longitudinal nirinhcrs of the whim links he ing localciloutsitls of ninl owl-lapping thc longitudinal memlms of the narrow links;

r and the cross bars of the shin! links cxlmnling through holes in the longih nlinnl mcm- 9o hers of thc narrow links, which iliolcs are suliiciently large to psrlnit lintllEllill articulation hotwcsn the links. the mtg have at each joint of nrlicnlalion lining proviilml on their adjacent tacos Willi coin-arc cylindrical {an surfaces and on llisir rcmolc fnccs with plans snrfsccs, the inn piano snrfaucs on the cross bars of :1 link slanting in opposits directions anal lacing at :i fixed angle with each other, and a pivot pin at enclrjoint of lot articulation, said pivot pin having a sliding fit on said concave cylindrical surfaces on. the cross bars at such joint 9. A clinlin comprising nllernntc Wills and narrow links, PlK'll link comprising two ion 'spaccrl longitudinal members at the shins and two cross liars connecting and rig-ill with siich longitmliiml mmnhvrs. the longitudinal members of the wider linkshnin oclstl ontsirls of 21ml overlapping ills iongsiln'iinul 1m gnsnibsrs of the narrow links nnzl he cross liars of the wills! links (Extending tliroiigli iaclos'i i the longitudinal mom of the narrow links, which holes are so cinntly large to permit thn ls-sired arliculation hctween the links, the bars at each joint of articulation hcingprovidesl on their adjncent faces with concave cylindrical sur faces, and on tlisir rsnintc faces with plans exposed surfaces for direct cooperation with 129 n. sprocket, and a. pi ot pin at each joint of articulation said pivot in having a sliding [it on said concsrc cylindrical surfaces on the cross bars it such joint.

10. A silent chsin non; rising a plurality of links, each of which 13s a. longitudinal member and two crass bars at the cntls of such longitiiclinal member, said links ovarlapping so that between the two cross bars of each link are located the two cross bars at 130 1 he adjacent ends of the two adjacent links, one cross bar at each joint of articulation having on its face toward the other cross liar at such joint a concave cylindrical surface having as its axis the axis of iicnlation, and the link which articulates at such 'oint with the link provided with the cross at having such concave surface,'being provided with :1 art having a convex cylindrical surfacfln'terfitting with said concave cylindrical sulface, each cross bar bein r providecl with a plane surface which forms a third angle with the plane surface on the ot er cross bar of the same link and is located on the side toward the end of the link.

11. A chain comprising a lurality of links, each of which has a ongitudinal member and two cross bars at the ends of such longitudinal member, said links overlapping so that between the two cross bars of each link, are located the two cross bars at the adjacent ends of the two adjacent links, each cross bar being provided on the side remote from the other cross bar at the same joint of articulation with an ex osed plane surface, one cross bar at each joint of articulation having on its face toward the other cross bar at such joint a concave cylindrical surface having as its axis the axis of articulation, and the link which articulates at such joint with the link provided with the cross bar having such concave surface, being provided with a part having a convex cylindrical surface interiitting with said concave cylindrical surface.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of the witnesses herein named.

WILLIAM A. ROCKEN FIELD.

Witnesses:

R. G. Looxwoon,- MADEL HEINOLD. 

